The past few days have been “blah” for me. I try to remain optimistic despite my sarcoidosis, but sometimes the stuff of life just creeps in. Once things like worry, self-doubt, and skepticism take over, it’s often difficult to see past them. Whenever I find myself feeling this way,…

When I think of the nearly 20 million students projected to attend college this fall, what comes to mind are the freshmen stepping into uncharted territory. As my niece, Jocelyn, put it, “You go from being at the top of your game senior year of high school to being at the…

‘Tis the season to be … well, actually, ’tis my season to be jolly. I love the fall! This time of year reminds me of the new year, except that it’s in the middle of the year. The weather starts to cool down, the kids are…

It’s easy to feel grateful when everything is going your way, but when you hit a rough patch, it helps to count your blessings. Stress has a clear impact on health and was the last thing I needed, but life’s problems arrive unexpectedly. Over the past two weeks, I…

Just like that, the last week of summer is here. Woo-hoo, I made it!  I admit I have been waiting for this moment, yet feeling sad that the last week of summer is upon us. It’s Labor Day weekend in the U.S., and life as we…

Sarcoidosis changes everything in life, including relationships. Since being diagnosed, I find that people in my life fall into several categories. First are those who know about my condition and have a healthy, satisfying relationship with me despite it. They include a precious few who occupy a special space…

People with hepatitis C who develop sarcoidosis may be safely treated with adalimumab, marketed by Abbvie as Humira, a case report suggests. The case was described in a study, “Sarcoidosis with concomitant hepatitis C infection treated successfully with adalimumab,” which was published in the Journal…

I had not heard of an infrared sauna before a practitioner told me about the device. Early in the process of diagnosing my sarcoidosis, it was suggested as a way to help manage joint pain. Luckily, my primary care physician (PCP) has an infrared sauna in his office. For…

An educational conference for people with sarcoidosis and those close to them will be held at the University of Cincinnati this Saturday, featuring doctors with expertise in this disease, presentations, and a question-and-answer session. The Aug. 24 event at the Ohio university’s Kresge Auditorium runs from 10:00 a.m. to…

In all things, give thanks. I heard this saying regularly while growing up. My mother told my brother and me that we should be thankful for every life experience. I’m not sure if we were supposed to be grateful for overcoming our obstacles or expected to…